Friday, January 9, 2015

Closing Costs - How They Affect You

closingcosts

What are closing costs?
Closing costs are the fees for services, taxes or special interest charges that surround the purchase of a home. They include upfront loan points, title insurance, escrow or closing day charges, document fees, prepaid interest and property taxes. Unless, these charges are rolled into the loan, they must be paid when the home is closed. For a real estate professional who can guide you through closing costs, view Augusta Ga Realtor.

Who pays the closing costs?
Closing costs are either paid by the home seller or home buyer. For more information on closing costs, view closing costs. It often depends on local custom and what the buyer or seller negotiates. For a Realtor who will negotiates for you, view Augusta Ga Realtor.

Where do I get information about closing costs?
For more on closing costs, ask for the "Consumers Guide to Mortgage Settlement Costs," Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Public Information Department, P.O. Box 7702, San Francisco, CA 94120 or call (415) 974-2163.

How can I save on closing costs?
Studies show that the closing costs, which can average 2 to 3 percent of a total home purchase price, are often more costly than many buyers expect. But there are some ways to save:

* Negotiate with the seller to pay all or part of the closing costs. The lender must agree to this as well as the seller. For more information on lenders in the Augusta area, view Augusta Lenders.

* Get a no-point loan. The trade-off is a higher interest rate on the loan and many of these loans have prepayment penalties. But buyers who are short on cash and can qualify for a higher interest rate may find a no-point loan will significantly cut their closing costs.

* Get a no-fee loan. Usually, though, these fees are wrapped into a higher interest rate though it will save you on the amount of cash you need upfront.

* Get seller financing. This kind of arrangement usually does not entail traditional loan fees or charges.

* Rent the property in which you are interested with an option to buy. That will give you more time to save for the upfront cash needed for the actual purchase.

* Shop around for the best loan deal. Each direct lender and each mortgage brokerage has their own fee structure. Call around before submitting your final loan application.

houseoncontract

For more information on closing costs or the home buying process contact:
 
Sherri Melton - Realtor
2013 KW Quadruple Gold Sales Award-Over 11 Million in Sales in 2013
Associate Leadership Council Member 2007 - 2014
Accredited Staging Professional - IAHSP Member
Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners
3633 Wheeler Rd., Suite 125
Augusta, GA 30909
Cell/Text 706.495.1135

No comments:

Post a Comment